[smoking brisket in the “De-Regionalized” BBQ class]
[tasting:: brisket 3 ways — quesadillas, sliders, and bruschetta][flowery, fruity cocktail shooter]
[tasting tents and glasses on lanyards]
[prettiest tiny bite with crab meat and veggies | bourbon brittle from Nashville | best mac n cheese from G.C. BBQ | Honeysuckle Gelato] [tangerine and mint cotton candy!]
[my super woman SIL, one of the planners of AFWF]
[Pig Out party at JCT Kitchen][seafood, gazpacho, cocktails, caramel cake, and a great band]
[Amex event @ The Painted Pin in Buckhead]
What a busy weekend. My parents came up from Florida for the Food & Wine Festival, which my SIL Lauren’s company coordinated. She’s been working night and day for months on this huge event, and it was really fun to see all of their hard work come together. We started out with some food classes on Saturday. The Southern Food & Great Literature class included a panel discussion with chefs Anne Quatrano (Atlanta restaurants include Bacchanalia, Star Provisions, and Floataway Cafe, among others), Bill Smith (NC), and Frank Stitt (AL). While they talked about their favorite cookbooks and Southern cuisine and culture, we got to sample some of the chefs’ own dishes, including biscuits and homemade strawberry jam, cheese crackers (w/rice krispy treats!), and pea cakes with salsa. In our next class, “De-Regionazlied” BBQ with John Rivers (FL), we learned all about smoking brisket (which we’ve never done), and some really fun ways to prepare it. The brisket quesadilla and bruschetta were some of our favorite tastes all day. We got his cookbook, so I can’t wait to smoke some meat and make all kinds of new dishes.

Aside from the heat and mass crowds at the tasting tents, they were my favorite part of the event. With glasses on lanyards to keep your hands free to hold more food, we sampled SO many amazing dishes. Some of my faves were the mini chicken pot pie from TRACE (opening soon at W Midtown Atlanta), Grand Champion BBQ mac n cheese, Bourbon Brittle from Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. in Nashville, Highland Brewing Company porter beer, tangerine mint cotton candy, and balsamic vinegar drizzled over pound cake from Marchetti International (Italy).

Some other fun AFWF events we attended were at JCT Kitchen and The Painted Pin. I’m excited for TPP to open soon — it’s a high end bowling alley located on Miami Circle in Buckhead. Aside from bowling, they have bocce ball, skee ball, a game called Skittles, swanky seating, and giant pizza ovens. I’m sure it’ll be packed out for a while, but we’re looking forward to going with friends sometime.

After a weekend of food and fun with our family, I’m looking forward to a somewhat low-key week… and Friday marks mine and Craig’s 5-year wedding anniversary! Cheers!